Design and Construction
Primrose's hull is solid fiberglass, with a lead ballast of 2,950 pounds in a fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder aft. At 8,100 pounds displacement and just over 10 feet beam, she shows a length-to-beam ratio of 2.96 and a ballast-displacement ratio of 36.4 percent. The builder offered different keel alternatives: the fin-keel version draws 4.76 to 5.06 feet by load, an unknown variant 5.09 to 5.39 feet. Wetted surface is about 290 square feet and immersion 1,066 pounds per inch.
Rig and Handling
The Moody 30 is built with a masthead rig carrying halyards of 79.2 feet in 3/8-inch and a 75.2-foot mainsheet masthead rig. Sail-area-to-displacement is 15.83 and comfort ratio 21.2; capsize screening is 2.01 at a 6.83-knot hull speed — a moderate cruiser profile.
Accommodations
The boat lists 60 gallons water and 30 gallons diesel. The 26-foot waterline and 10-foot beam give a stable cabin platform.
Refits and Ownership
With production concluded in 1979, every Moody 30 is a mature boat whose original MD11 and period rigging have decades of service. The lead-ballasted fin keel and standard-diameter rigging are straightforward to maintain.
The Verdict
The Moody 30 is a sober small cruiser from Primrose's board, built in modest numbers. She offers accessible draft and predictable load behavior.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull with lead-ballasted fin keel and skeg-hung rudder
- Shallow enough draft to enter most marinas across two keel options
Cons
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air pace
- Limited production run means fewer boats to choose from
